Man, dog lead police on low-speed chase

Published 6:00 pm, Wednesday, January 2, 2008

Conroe Police officials said Jeffrey Rucks, 46, was charged with evading arrest in a motor vehicle, a state jail felony punishable by 180 days to two years in jail and a fine of up to $10,000.

Rucks also was charged with reckless driving, failure to stop and render aid and possession of drug paraphernalia, all misdemeanor charges. His vehicle struck another during the pursuit.

CPD officer Brent Stowe tried to stop the 1989 Volvo Rucks was driving in the 900 block of the Interstate 45 feeder road in front of 84 Lumber, but Rucks kept driving, according to Sgt. Mike Tindall.

"The driver refused to stop and continued southbound, entering the freeway near the South Loop 336," Tindall said. "The pursuit continued southbound in the main lanes, where the car struck another vehicle near the construction zone in the Crighton Road area."

Rucks' vehicle continued south, Tindall said, taking the exit at Texas 242, going under the freeway, making a u-turn and heading north on the main lanes of Interstate 45 toward Conroe.

By then, units with the Texas Department of Public Safety were involved, along with other agencies outside the city.

The pursuit speeds were mostly very low, with about 15 miles per hour being the slowest and 60 miles per hour the fastest.

"Just before Gladstell, he exited northbound through the median to the feeder to avoid DPS spikes," Tindall said. "DPS was able to get spikes in front of him on the feeder road, and the suspect ran over them, flattening three tires."

The suspect drove a short distance on the deflating tires and turned into the parking lot of Zone D'Erotica, where he was arrested without incident, Tindall said.

Tindall said Rucks' last driver's license was issued by the state of Florida, with no record of any identification in Texas. However, he was driving a car with Texas plates and a "Kinky for Governor" bumper sticker, so Tindall said Rucks' state of residence was unclear.

Police removed crack pipes from the vehicle, along with a large plastic zipper locking bag containing a white powder which Tindall said field tested negative for cocaine.

According to Public Data, Rucks has a lengthy criminal history in Florida, but it showed no charges or convictions in Texas.

The small 12-year-old dog was also taken into custody by officials with the city of Conroe Animal Control department, as Rucks said he had no one to call to pick it up when he was arrested.